


Simple happiness

by Anniss



Series: Chatfics, kittens and BenRook [3]
Category: Ben 10 Series
Genre: 4am adventures, Fluff, I had to watch Sharknado for this fic, I'm dedicated, Kittens, M/M, They watch Sharknado, it gets gayer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-02-08 15:06:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12867105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anniss/pseuds/Anniss
Summary: Ben shows up at Rook's place in the middle of the night, they watch an awful movie, eat pizza and laugh. Overall a great night.





	1. Rook

**Author's Note:**

> O hai, I'm here again.  
> Uh it's unbeta'd, but I hope you enjoy!

Ben had showed up at his door, hair slightly muzzled by the wind, back in his human form and with a surprisingly soft smile on his face. Rook found himself staring for a moment, but quickly realized, and stepped aside, letting Ben in with a warm welcome.

 

Ben had already been here a few times, having helped with the moving and carrying, and dutifully attending to his duties as uncle. Said nephews and niece showed their appreciation for their uncle as they came to greet Ben, mewing happily as he crouched down to meet them. Rook watched on, smiling and closing the door behind Ben. It was serene and peaceful, and Rook wouldn't have minded standing there for much longer than they did.

 

Mama stood by the doorway to the living room, keeping an eye on her kittens. She seemed to trust Ben mostly, but never went close enough to let Ben pet her, and Ben respected that. The scars riddling her face and body told them of tougher times in her life. However she let Rook pet her as he came walking to her, kneeling down too to reach her, and she purred and rubbed against his legs. It seemed like she knew what a great thing Rook had done for her and the kittens.

 

"So hey, you got that pizza?" Ben asked, and Rook had completely forgotten about it. He hurried back up and rushed over to the kitchen, Ben trailing behind amused. "Please don't tell me you burned it, I was looking forwards to it," he teased as he peeked behind the kitchen door. Rook let out a relieved breath as he realized the pizza still had a few minutes left to go. "It is fine, it still have some time ago. How about you put on that movie?" he asked, and stood up just in time for to see Ben pass the kitchen door while exclaiming "Aye aye, sir!" Rook felt something in his chest, not quite a pain, but wondered if maybe he should get it checked out.

 

He had pulled out the soda and two glasses, and brought the whole ordeal to the living room where he found Ben fiddling with the controller on the floor. The empty DVD cart had just been thrown to the side for now, unimportant. What was important was what Ben had just clicked the screen into. "Sharknado. I am impressed already," Rook deadpanned as he put down the drink. Ben shushed him, proclaiming that it was a work of art, and Rook chuckled. "Of course, Ben. You are the connoisseur of fine human art."

"Dang right."

 

Rook just smiled at Ben, and shook his head. He could see the righteous tense of Ben's shoulders, set straight as he defended himself and this movie, whatever it might be. He thought back to long drives in the Proto-TRUK, Ben explaining passionately about one of the movies he had seen that had been "so exceptionally bad it had reverted back on itself and become good." Rook remembered wild gesticulations and loud retellings with sound effects as Ben got into the most interesting parts of a movie Rook became more and more certain he didn't want to see. Well, not on his own. Perhaps he could be swayed to watch some of them if Ben tagged along, though Ben had spoiled the majority of the story, so it wouldn't be much point other than to hang out with Ben. Rook had to admit to himself that perhaps that was enough.

 

He went back to get the pizza, which was actually done this time, and put on some oven mitts. They were comically oversized and light blue. "Thought this might be necessary. The colour reminded me of you," Gwen had said with a smirk as she handed them over together with a few other earthling things one found in their houses. She had given them when she had passed through, while he was still getting some things out of boxes, and buying new things Ben was helping him carry. He was grateful for it, thanking her in the same breath he asked exactly how some of them worked.

 

Together they had helped making the place feel more like an actual home, not just a place to live. He found his pizza cutter. It held the shape of some sort of animal that Ben had told him belonged to an animal that had walked this planet eons before the humans had. It was strange seeing the rulers of old turned into cute plastic objects, but perhaps that was part of the human experience. Old things would have to either go or reshape themselves. Holding on to them would always prove fruitless in the end.

 

"Hey the movie is set up!" Ben informed him loudly, and he picked up the cut pieces, still on the box for convenience's sake. He brought two plates too, favouring the colourful plastic ones over the porcelain.

 

Rook wasn’t surprised when Ben jumped up and dove for the plates, ripping the green one out of Rook’s hand, and clutching it like a trophy. He stepped away from Rook, just far enough that he couldn’t reach, wry smile on his lips. “This one’s mine. You get the yellow one,” he said, and so it was law. Rook had no qualms with the colour yellow, so it would suffice. Ben had also already picked his cup, the sky blue one, now halfway filled with soda. Orange cup for Rook then. He took some soda for himself, and sat down on the brand new couch he had gotten, as he looked at the screen. “What did you say the movie was called?” Rook asked as Ben jumped onto the sofa, carelessly falling into a heap of limbs, strewn somewhat correctly onto it. “Sharknado!” Ben said with a broad smile, and picked up a slice of pizza as the movie started. Luckily, Ben also used his plate. Ruining the couch this early on would be unfortunate. “Is that a combination of shark and tornado?” Rook asked, squinting suspicious at Ben, whose smile only grew impossibly wider. Rook took the smile as a “yes” and sighed, but a smile betrayed him. “Is it even scientifically possible?” he asked, and Ben shrugged, mouth full of pizza. “I dunno, maybe?”

 

The kittens also chose this moment to show off their climbing skills, the little girl making her way up Rook’s sweatpants. The boys were doing the same on Ben, or at least trying their best. The two of them helped the three kittens up. They were distracting them, but who could be mad at such adorable little hairballs?

 

The film started in a drastic way. Or, it would be drastic if Ben wasn’t already trying his best to hold back laughter, snorting at the special effects. “That looks like plastic figurines…” Rook commented as a tornado hurtled around a million tiny, frozen plastic sharks to overly dramatic background music. Rook found himself smiling too; at both the admittedly quite bad effects, but also at how happy Ben seemed when he glanced over. His partner had wrapped himself up in the movie already, but still sparing a few glances to the small ones in his lap, mewing and stomping around to get his attention. Rook found himself staring again, and with a strange flush to his face quickly turned back to the movie where a gun duel was happening.

 

Rook had been concerned about Ben earlier. He knew Ben struggled with his own issues, but he always seemed so intent on covering it up, or dealing with it himself, that when he had confided with Rook in the middle of the night, Rook had wanted to do whatever he could to help him. Seeing him smiling and laughing, that old spark in his eyes back, which made a wave of content wash over Rook. He absentmindedly watched the movie, and played with the little girl that was now launching a ferocious attack on his fingers. He could blame it on fatigue, and it was probably partially involved, but that strange warmth distracted him. It made him want the moment to last. That was probably impossible, but hey, perhaps he should invite Ben over more often for dumb movie marathons.

 

One of the boys that had been playing with Ben jumped out of his lap, and came waddling towards Rook, his brother following suit. Ben came scooting after them, complaining about how they couldn’t just abandon him like that. The two rowdy boys joined their equally as rowdy sister, and both Ben and Rook watched a small play fight between all three. It took Rook a moment to notice that Ben was actually much closer now, and just as he looked surprised down at Ben, he looked up at Rook. With big eyes and a cute smile- uh charming smile, Rook found that the movie demanded his immediate attention. He knew why his face was heating up, but found the reason wholly inappropriate.

“Oh, I love this scene!” Ben exclaimed, apparently looking at the movie too now. It was chaos in a bar, screaming people and sharks everywhere. The scene’s climax was one of the main characters impaling a shark with a pool cue through the head, and Rook could almost see the appeal of these movies. Rook was secretly rooting for the sharks, to be perfectly honest.

 

Rook continued to watch, the pizza disappearing before his very eyes. The kittens had also felt fatigue come for them, and mama had gently shushed them into bed, curling around them.

 

Ben had gone more and more quiet, outbursts and open-mouthed laughter turning into chuckles and quiet, snarky remarks. Rook had side-eyed him a few times, and if the slow blinking and slumping meant anything Ben was probably not very far from falling asleep. Rook was just about to poke Ben and tell him he could use his bed, when something fell against his shoulder. Turned out that Ben had already fully fallen asleep, and was now resting against him. Rook blinked surprised, he knew Ben would probably fall asleep, but onto him?

 

Rook decided to try and poke Ben gently, murmuring how he should wake up so he could get to bed. Rook was planning to camp on the sofa, it was nice and he felt it would be the more polite solution. However, his wake-up method proved inefficient, and all Ben did was grunt something indiscernible, turn, and dig his face into Rook’s shoulder.

 

Rook turned back to the movie. It was ramping up dramatically, and perhaps he would even get to see the titular sharknado, but Rook found himself entirely uninterested. Slowly and gently, he pried himself from Ben. When he finally managed to get out and stand up, Ben simply fell down the rest of the way, and was an awkward mess with limbs splayed everywhere. Rook chuckled at the sight, and pulled forth his phone. He snapped a quick photo, and then turned off the obnoxious movie. A wave of silence, which brought a wash of relief. Just a tad too late for such noise.

 

Rook could do two things now. Well, technically three, since he could just abandon Ben there and let him sleep as he lay, but that wasn’t really an option. Therefore, he could get him a blanket and a pillow for the sofa, or lend him the bed.

 

Rook was as gentle as he could, but he was still physically picking the bony mess up. Ben really was out as a light, so luckily he didn’t wake even as Rook picked up and carried him. Rook hadn’t checked the clock, but something told him it was incredibly late. He couldn’t exactly look out at the sky. Their last messages had been around… Half past five? He had watched what he would guess to be an hour… Yeah he needed to sleep. He felt fatigue, and stinging in his eyes, but he wasn’t as affected as humans seemed to get. Perhaps it was a human thing. He would just feel this kick him later.

 

Getting the door open was a hassle, but Rook managed. Then he just had to put Ben down, which was much easier. Slowly, with every intent to keep the sleeping boy sleeping, Rook felt the body heat leave him, which he realized had been nice. However, he had no right to take Ben’s time, and managed to get the blanket out from under him and atop him instead. Mindlessly he brushed some hair out of Ben’s face, realized immediately what he was doing, and went to fetch his own pillow and blanket in the closet. Well that was embarrassing and wholly inappropriate, that Rook would admit to himself. However, he wouldn’t admit that he quickly fled the room, though that was totally what he did.

 

Withdrawn to the safety of the living room, Rook methodically did a bit of cleaning up of the food and drinks. It was dumb, childish even, to be reacting like this. He wracked through his mind trying to find reasons why he would find himself so affected by simple touches and gestures, but they all seemed blown out of proportion and illogical. However, doing something in an orderly fashion was pacifying, and by the time he felt he had cleaned enough his brain had calmed back down. He could think clearer, and be more honest with himself, because that seemed to be the biggest hurdle here.

 

Therefore, when he settled down onto the sofa, snug and warm, the only thought that stood out to him was a simple one. Being around Ben, hanging out and working with him, it was nice. Simply, yet fully and beautifully nice. Like a gentle sun warming you to the core. Rook gently smacked himself in the face. Okay, that was sappy and overbearing, even for him.

 

Nevertheless, he knew it was also completely true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rook, softly: I'm gay


	2. Ben

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after, from Ben's perspective.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you were waiting for this, bless you, you're too patient with me.

Ben woke up, and immediately recognized it wasn’t his own bed he was unceremoniously splayed across. He recognized the smell in the back of his mind, but as he fought to wrestle his eyes open against the light he confirmed that he was in unfamiliar territory. Then his brain caught up to him, and he remembered yesterday. Ah, this was probably Rook's bed then, wasn't it?

 

He sat up, groggily looking around. He was alone in the room, no one next to him, or anywhere else for the matter. Oh, wait. "Hello mama," Ben said, and looked at the cat who had gotten comfortable on the bed, having turned herself into a respectable cat loaf. She opened her eyes, and gazed lazily at Ben. He didn't reach out for her, respecting that she probably still wasn't that comfy with him. Instead he yawned, and tried to blink the tiredness out of his eyes, eyesight still a little blurry. He was already fully dressed, having fallen asleep on accident a little prematurely. He also knew the implication of being in Rook's bed, rubbing his face as he felt a heated flare run across it. Jeez, it was embarrassing that he hadn't managed to stay awake, even if it had been stupidly late.

 

When he had finally managed to gather himself, he heard the sounds of someone humming quietly in the kitchen and the sounds of food being made. The smell was also catching up to him, hanging heavy in the air and teasing his rumbling stomach.

 

He swung his legs off the bed, and pulled up the hood of his hoodie in an attempt to hide the awful bed head he was sure had formed up there. Mama also got up, meowing at him and jumping off the bed. She slipped through the door, which Ben now saw was slightly ajar. With a final, deflated sigh he got up, and moved out of the bedroom.

 

Ben was stopped in his tracks when he got out of the door, his brain halting for a second. In front of him stood Rook, turned away from him. Standing there with his shoulders down and humming softly, he seemed so calm. The lighting from outside, fake as it may be underground, gave him the halo effect, and it was honestly mesmerising. The scene only lasted for a second, because Rook noticed Ben and turned around to greet him, but the effect wasn't diminished. "Oh, good morning Ben," Rook said with a big smile on his face, and Ben surged forwards.

 

It was strange, knowing fully and having no idea what you were doing at the same time. Yet when he wrapped his arms around Rook in a hug, he didn’t find it in himself to feel bewilderment nor regret.

"Oh-" Rook started.

"Thanks," Ben said, stopping Rook in his tracks of questioning. It was all he had to say, all he really needed to say. The understanding of what Ben was thanking for passed wordlessly between them. A warm coil of satisfaction settled in Ben when Rook put his arms around him and returned the hug, and Ben felt himself relax.

 

***

 

Ben had sat down on the table, Rook insisting that he didn't need help with the breakfast. It peeved Ben a little that he got nothing to do, as now he was bored. Luckily, one of the kittens had come to his rescue, and was now laying in his lap, play-fighting with his fingers. Ben looked up at Rook every now and then, checking on the breakfast and also just kind of... No, not staring, that was creepy. Just looking him over a little, like examining his shoulders. How was someone allowed to have such broad shoulders? It was just not fair in Ben’s opinion. When Rook turned towards him, Ben hurried to look away, for some reason feeling like he was caught red-handed. He swore to himself he had not been staring! Too busy scolding himself, he missed Rook's little knowing smile as he returned to making their food.

 

When Rook set down the food in front of Ben, he was slightly suspicious of it on instinct. Knowing that Rook probably took full advantage of the alien ingredients in the market of Undertown, something alien might have snuck into his food. It was an unfounded suspicion, however, because the food seemed completely safe. Eggs, toast, butter and even strawberry jam was set down in front of Ben, all very human and very tasty. His stomach rumbled as he reached for the butter, while Rook took his seat opposite of Ben.

 

They ate in peace, Rook explaining that he had decided to try out regular human food other than just fast food. Ben remembered that Rook had asked him about the most basic human food, and Rook lamented how bread was actually pretty good, all things considered. Ben agreed wholeheartedly, mouth full of said bread. Rook scolded him for talking with his mouth full, but there was no heat behind it. They continued chatting about all and nothing, it was pleasant and overwhelmingly domestic.

 

Ben’s brain reminded him of what had happened that morning, and he looked away from Rook, and onto the floor. His embarrassment must have been clear as day, because Rook let the conversation drift off. He gave Ben a few seconds to start himself, but Ben was busy sipping his glass of water, and not at all engaging in conversation about what was troubling him.

"Ben, is there something wrong?" Rook asked gently, tilting his head to the side. Ben just had to look up at the face behind that friendly voice, it was a weakness of his. An equally friendly and inviting smile greeted him, and Ben felt his walls crumble with a hollow sigh.

"You know, you didn't have to... Let me use your bed," Ben said, leaving out the fact that Rook probably carried him. If it had happened, Rook remembered it himself without any help from Ben.

"Ah, it was no problem, I didn't want to be rude," Rook said, and brushed off the problem like it didn't even exist. Like it was completely normal for him to share his bed with his friends. Oh, wait.

"Is this a Revonnahgander thing?"

Rook looked up from his food. He was frozen in motion, egg falling off his fork as he blinked at Ben. Then his expression twisted, and Ben recognized embarrassment when he saw it. Rook sat up straighter in his chair, eyes wide in muted horror.

“Did I offend you?”

“What?” Ben asked, brain not catching up at first. “Oh! Oh, no, don’t worry about that! It’s nothing like that!”

Ben had to laugh, because it was such an extreme reaction for Rook. He was usually so composed and calm. Rook seemed confused, but also much less tense once Ben started laughing. An unsure smile crept onto his lips, and Ben found it so strangely endearing his heart clenched. They sat there for a moment and smiled at eachother like idiots, before Ben remembered he should probably explain the situation.

“It’s not that. It’s just that for humans, you usually just sleep at the couch when you’re over at a friends place if they don’t have a spare bed. At least as far as my experience with sleepovers go, I guess some people might do it differently. Sleeping in their bed… It’s a little awkward, if you get me?” he continued to leave out the fact that he had probably been _carried to bed_ , because it didn’t help at all. Rook nodded, seeming to understand, but avoiding Ben’s eyes.

“Hey,” Ben said softly, which got Rook to look back at him like he wanted. “It’s okay. I don’t really mind, truthfully. It just threw me off guard, okay?”

“Okay, I’ll try and remember it for later,” Rook said with a smile and a nod. Ben was certain Rook wouldn’t, since he had a knack for absorbing anything about human culture like a hairy, blue sponge.

 

 

Their breakfast resumed after that, comfortable and painless. Ben helped Rook with the dishes, drying them and putting them away, with a little direction from Rook for those things he had forgotten where went. While waiting for Rook, Ben sneakily put a kitten on his head, or he thought he was sneaky, but the knowing smile on Rook’s lips told him otherwise. The kitten had a blast digging it’s tiny claws into Rook, and batting a paw at his twitching ear. “Thank you,” Rook said to Ben in a flat tone, but the corners of his lips betrayed him. Ben felt incredibly smug as he left Rook alone in the kitchen with the kitten, going to hunt down his stuff.

 

He found his bag sitting neatly in one of the chairs in the living room, and Ben assumed Rook had felt it necessary to pack it for him. Throwing it onto his back, he felt something hairy brushing against his leg. “Oh hey kitten-” he started, crouching down to meet them, except it wasn’t one of the kittens. Mama looked up at him, wise eyes awaiting of his next move. Ben was dumbfounded for a moment, not sure what he was supposed to do. He gingerly put forth a hand, not touching her, but offering an invitation. Mama looked at his hand for a second, judging it intently. As if Ben would ever cause her any harm with it. Then she pushed her face forth, and rubbed it all over his hand. Ben gasped low, doing his very best not to get overly excited at the development. He wanted to call out to Rook, celebrate the occasion, but he didn’t want to spook her either. Slowly, so that he wouldn’t startle her, he brushed the hand against her. He scratched the top of her head, and she leaned into it, closing her eyes. Then she turned and gave him her side, which he dutifully pet. At this point one of the kittens had come along too, attacking their momma playfully. She gave Ben a few more moments of her time, which he appreciated the best he could, before she bolted off, kitten on her heels. Ben watched her go, still squatted down on the floor. He hadn’t noticed how the water had stopped running.

 

When he turned to the door, he found Rook standing there, rambunctious kitten writhing in his arms. The kitten was a good contrast to Rook, who just stood there quietly and watched. What really made Ben’s heart skip a beat was how Rook was looking at _him_ , expression that of such endearment that Ben felt awkwardly undeserving. He had to look away, trying to hide his face as he could feel it turning a little too pink. He had no idea what to do, flailing harder than he had ever done in front of anyone who tried to destroy him and everything he cared about. At least evil villains were _mostly_ predictable!

“I was waiting for that to happen,” Rook said after what felt like an eternity to Ben, redirecting the moment to something less painfully awkward for him. Ben thanked Rook internally, but also damned him for taking so long!

“Oh, really?” he asked, voice an octave lighter than usual. He really hadn’t expected it himself, so hearing that Rook had was as if the Revonnahgander held some secret knowledge about cats, unbeknownst to human kind.

“You’ve been very patient with her, and very kind towards the small ones. When Gwen was around she kept carrying them back to their bed, giving Gwen death-stares when she came too close,” Rook explained, blissfully ignoring the tiny beast gnawing at his fingers.

Ben couldn’t help but smile, if only for the bitter satisfaction of being someone’s first choice over Gwen. Ah, wait, that sounded really gross when he thought about it like that. He didn’t envy Gwen in that way, she had worked hard for what she had and deserved it-

 

No, no time to think about that as his face was growing a little too hot for his liking under an infuriatingly charming Revonnahgander’s gaze. Ben fussed with the bag slung over his shoulder, avoiding looking at Rook at all costs, and started shuffling towards the door. Unfortunately said alien was still in the doorway, and while Ben was an awkward mess, that wasn’t an excuse to be rude. “Hey, thanks a lot for letting me stay over, dude. It means a lot, but I think I’ve gotta head back,” he half-assed. He really was grateful, but he wasn’t exactly vocally refined enough to express that fully. Still, Rook stepped to the side to let him past, which was a small victory for Ben.

“It was no problem at all. I had a lot of fun, Ben. Even if the movie choice was questionable,” Rook replied light-heartedly, and Ben couldn’t help but smile up at him. Who cared if his heart jumped a little, the light hearted banter always helped his mood.

“And I would not at all mind another movie night, though perhaps I should be able to choose a movie too?”

“What!? My movie choices are stellar!” Ben cried out in fake outrage. Rook said nothing, but Ben had to sternly ignore the good-natured eye roll.

 

Squeezing past Rook and getting to his shoes, they both stood there in silence as Ben tied his laces. “You never actually answered me,” Rook said quietly, carefully, as if he was stepping on thin ice. Ben peered up at him through his bangs, stopping what he was doing for a second. “Hm?” he asked, thinking back at what he had forgotten. “Oh, more movie nights?”

Rook nodded.

 

What? Was he afraid Ben would say no? That was ridiculous, if anything Ben shouldn’t be invited back, given his taste in movies. “If you’ll have me, and my movies,” he teased, masking any actual concern. “Of course,” came the answer. Rook was too polite to outright ban him forever. Probably. He had learned how to make jokes, and use smilies recently. That was still a lingering concern of Ben’s.

 

His train of thought was derailed when Rook squatted down, matching Ben’s eyeheight. Ben was caught off-guard, staring straight at Rook with wide eyes. Rook chuckled, and broke eye contact, looking down at what he was actually on the floor for. The kitten immediately toddled to Ben, probably tired of being coddled, and ready for something more destructive. As Ben valiantly tried to finish up his shoes, the kitten had decided to outright murder his laces. Hanging onto them with their tiny claws was apparently a matter of life and death, and Ben had to commend the kitten for their unyielding ferocity. With the distraction of two fuzzballs of varying sizes, tying his shoes was now somehow the most difficult task Ben had ever faced. “Rooook,” Ben whined, pouting at the offending alien. “You did this on purpose.”

“Revenge for earlier,” Rook grinned, and then burst into laughter when Ben yelped, kitten biting into his finger.

 

In the ensuing chaos, Mama descended upon them as Ben’s own guardian angel. Seeing its mom, the kitten ran off to her, bothering the image of stoicism herself but jumping at her flicking tail. Ben hadn’t stopped pouting at Rook, but he was having a hard time not breaking into a smile himself. At least he should stop staring at Rook, and tie those dang laces. Frowning with embarrassment, Ben stood up. When Rook was done laughing at his suffering, he followed suit.

 

Ben got all the way to the door handle, before he turned around, eyes at his feet. “Thanks again,” he muttered, and now it was his turn to be surprised as Rook gently grabbed his face. Quietly, while Ben was too confused to protest, Rook pressed the bridge of his nose to the top of Ben’s head. Ben froze, but the action was over quickly, and all he could do was look up at Rook with huge eyes. “It’s just a Revonnahgander thing, a way to say goodbye, among other things,” Rook explained quietly, looking over Ben’s head. Ben just had to laugh, and punched his shoulder softly as he opened the door. “All right, thanks you big, strange alien,” Ben said as he made his way down the first few steps. “Seeya at work.”

“See you, tiny, even stranger alien,” Rook said after him, and closed the door while waving him goodbye. His expression of open adoration made Ben glad he didn’t stand there for too long, or he might have melted into a puddle of emotional goo.

 

Ben was almost certain Rook had just lied to him about the significance of whatever it was he had just done. Nuzzling into his hair? Just seeing how nervous he was afterwards was a big tell, but Ben hadn’t wanted to push it. He might just be reading too far into it after all. Maybe it meant nothing more than a simple goodbye.

 

He had to stop and wonder why would that disappoint him so much. Ben felt his face heat up again, quickly cycling through his watch to find XLR8 now that he was outside. At least behind the helmet it wouldn’t show. Ben wasn’t even sure if Kincelerans _could_ blush, he had never checked, but that wasn’t important right now.

 

He had just spent the night over at Rook’s, waking up in his bed (without Rook, thank god), and this morning he had stumbled over everything and anything he said and did when Rook as much as looked at him nicely. He had been an embarrassing nuisance, crashing over at his place in the middle of the night and eating his food, yet after he had pet Mama the look Rook had given him was such raw fondness that Ben had had to look away in fear of burning up from the inside.

 

Rook had nuzzled into his messy hair, and Ben _wanted_ it to mean something. God, this was a crush wasn’t it? One big, fat crush on his _partner_ , of all aliens. No matter how fast he skated away from Rook’s apartment, there was no denying it.

 

Damn it, he had fallen way too deep without even realizing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not even the fastest wheelies could escape those feelies.


End file.
